Climbing to the Peak of Daylily Color

July 15, 2016July 15, 2016Leave a comment

If yesterday was a little quiet (for July) in my garden, today was a bit overwhelming. There were several new faces.

Thin Man bloomed for the first time ever – the biggest bloom (12 inches) in my garden.

Thin Man – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

One of my Ned Roberts Southwest spiders also showed his colors for the first time ever in my yard. Meet Aztec Firebird.

Aztec Firebird – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, a nice little addition called Pick of the Litter was also a first-time in my yard bloomer today. Funny, this was a gift plant and I don’t remember the plant it came with – or if that plant has bloomed.

Pick of the Litter – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

First blooms for 2016 in my existing daylilies included one that I don’t have a name for – so I decided to call it Montrose Sunset. I picked this up when I xeriscaped a few years ago . . . before I was a true hobbiest. And, I cannot find the name but I like the bloom a lot.

??? “Montrose Sunset” – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Prelude to Love is a pretty dark red/purple bloom that reappears each year, as well.

Prelude to Love – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Strutter’s Ball is one I added last year and (like its neighbors, Inwood and Funny Valentine) it is astruggling to produce blooms this year. I decided today that when my blues finish blooming in a week or two, I will switch their locations and see what happens. The issue, I believe, is figuring out which pots the sprinkler system over-waters, and which it under-waters. And, then, balancing that.

Strutter’s Ball – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Cheddar Cheese, aptly, lives near my outdoor grill and is back to top-off our hamburgers.

Cheddar Cheese – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Blackthorn is one I put in last year – I really like this bloom!

Blackthorne – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, here is today’s collage. I tried to put this is semi-rainbow order. It is a lot of color, for sure. The peak has come to this yard on the Colorado Plateau.

From L to R: Top Row: Route 66, ? “Montrose Sunset”, Isaac, Mildred Mitchell, Razzamatazz, Prelude to Love. Row Two: Indian Love Call, Soco Gap, Aztec Firebird, Lady Fingers, Purple De Oro, Strutters Ball. Row Three: Early Bird Cardinal, Thin Man, Cheddar Cheese, (Lady Fingers), Blackthorn, VooDoo Dancer. Bottom Row: Stephanie Returns, Pick of the Litter and Return a Smile.

Hey, folks, that is eight new blooms in the yard today. That puts me at circa 45 different blooms this year. (That means about 90 have not bloomed – but many are year ones or small year twos.) I only need 20+ more to hit 50%. I have a lot of scapes – so maybe . . . stay tuned.

Singing the Blues

July 15, 2016Leave a comment

Today, all three of my near blues (with scapes) were in bloom; Blue Beat, Mildred Mitchell, and The Colorado Kid. (Sounds like a rock band.) They have all bloomed before this year, so I highlighted them in todays garden collage. I did want to share a large view of Blue Beat before the first rays of sun hit her. Very blue-looking!

Blue Beat – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The other photo I really like from today is Jungle Queen. I caught the first rays of light on her pedals.

Jungle Queen – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I had two new blooms and neither looked as healthy as I would like. Bugs, heat, water issues, etc. Who knows? They are pretty flowers and hopefully they will have their true colors shining through very soon.

Zuni Thunderbird – a neat Ned Roberts spider that I put in the new garden last fall.

Zuni Thunderbird – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Inwood – a beautiful flower with a frompy first bloom.

Inwood – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Below are the bloomers for today.

Left to Right: Top row – South Seas, The Colorado Kid, Blue Beat, Mildred Mitchell, Soco Gap. Second Row: Inwood, Jungle Queen, Mini Pearl, Purple de Oro, Early Bird Cardinal. Bottom: Zuni Thunderbird.

Before I sign off, let me just say that I am writing this blog to share my experiences being a daylily hobbiest in the desert of Western Colorado. The soil is clay, so I have learned to amend it with good soil and water crystals. They help hold the moisture in – and I had my best garlic harvest ever after adding them to the mix. However, there can always be too much of a good thing and the crystals can harbor root rot is the drainage isn’t good, The last week, Colorado Kid has been fading. Today, I threw out the rotten dirt and cleaned up the roots. Hopefully, I didn’t over correct. It’s hard for humans to get the right balance of moisture in a place where mother nature falls short. And, that is the adventure. (RIP Navajo Rodeo – I am not sure what got you but something did 😦 )

Welcome, Pastels!

July 13, 2016July 13, 2016Leave a comment

When I think of daylilies, I often think of the huge, bright blossoms that I love. This morning, though, I found a stunning bouquet of smaller pastel blooms. They provide a nice contrast in the garden, for sure.

The lightest one is Lullaby Baby. I almost miss it every year.

Lullaby Baby – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Mini Pearl – the one named for my grandma! She is new to my yard this year.

Mini Pearl – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Then Chorus Line – an old favorite.

Chorus Line – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, this sweet Ned Robert’s bloom – Desert Icicle. Man, I could use an icicle in this Colorado desert today!

Desert Icicle – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Isaac may be a little brighter yellow than pastel, but nice small, simple blossom.

Isaac – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Blue Beat came into the world of the Colorado Plateau today. This is a very nice near blue color – I am really pleased at the color it produced. It is a first year for this one. I would call it pastel tones, too.

Blue Beat – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The collage today has one of the pastel/small blooms next to the traditional blooms. It creates a bit of a stiped appearance.

From L to R. Top Row: Blue Beat, Jungle Queen, Chorus Line, Lady Fingers. Row Two: Lullaby Baby, Return A Smile, Desert Icicle, Ruby Spider. Bottom Row: Mini Pearl, Mildred Mitchell, Isaac, Prairie Blue Eyes.

I believe that is 37 different cultivators that have bloomed so far this year. I have 20-30 different ones with scapes right now. It looks like I may go over my 50% goal. (I have 130 +/- in my yard. I’m addicted!) I have not given up on the ones without scapes yet. I love the late bloomers!

All in the Family

July 12, 2016July 12, 20161 Comment

As I typed in this title, I actually Googled to see if there is an Archie Bunker daylily. Fortunately, my search didn’t find any such flower. The title of this blog is because I want to talk about a section of my daylily garden with names from my family. Because today Stephanie Returns returned for 2016. My oldest daughter is a Stephanie, too. And, she returned to Colorado the year that I came across this cultivator at the local nursery.

Stephanie Returns – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Following after mom, my Isaac daylily is close to a first ever bloom in my yard. Definitely tomorrow. Isaac is also my 3-year-old grandson’s name.

Isaac bud – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Mini Pearl was my grandma’s name, and I have a daylily by the same name with scapes, also added last year. Interestingly enough, there is a daylily named Catherine Irene which is also my mom’s first and middle name. I am still waiting on that one to send scapes. I have Mayan Poppy for my granddaughter, Maia. It also has scapes. I have a couple more to add in that section – I am waiting to see what space looks like after the first year. But, it is already a very special section of my garden. Right by my front door.

Other new faces for today are Razzamatazz, a pretty little purple bloom that I have had for a couple of years.

Razzamatazz – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

All-in-all, I have 12 full blooms and a very ready-to-bloom bud of Isaac. Today, I mixed-it-up and made the collage in alphabetical order. Lots of yellows and purples today.

From L to R. Top Row: Canyon Colors, Indian Love Call, Isaac, Lady Fingers. Row Two: Mesa Verde, Mildred Mitchell, Purple De Oro, Razzamatazz, Return A Smile. Bottom Row: Ruby Spider, Soco Gap, South Seas, and Stephanie Returns.

I have had 32 different cultivators bloom so far in 2016. That is somewhere around 25% of my daylily collection. I am hoping for 50% this year, because so many are new. And, the ones for $2 often take a couple years to bloom. My long-term goal is 80% per year. Time to quite, though, cause I am thinking like a doctor. And this is my get-away time.

The Daylily Dozen (plus one)

July 12, 2016July 12, 2016Leave a comment

Today, I finally had a dozen different daylilies in bloom in my yard. I limited photos, but it still took forever to go through them 😉 I decided to put today’s collage in some sort of order by color from purple to yellow.

I want to keep this short, but also share some new faces. First is a brand new face, Indian Love Call. It is a pretty dark bloom with thin peddles. Nice addition to the front yard.

Indian Love Call – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The next one is “almost” brand new. I got South Seas toward the end of last season and I only got one bloom. I love the bright colors and large bloom size.

South Seas – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Then an old favorite, Route 66. I found this one the year that Route 66 was the epicenter of my Southwest road trip. The hybridizer created this one back when Route 66 was still more of an American dream trip. The colors are spot-on.

Route 66 – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Another new face today is my first “Mexican Daylily” that is really called a Shell Flower. These blooms got their nickname because each bloom only lasts one day. I love the beautiful pattern on the bottom. These are bulbs that I got for $1 at the grocery store in February (all 12 of them).

“Mexican Daylily” – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, finally, below is my Daylily Dozen. It is of note that Colorado Kid almost looks like a different flower now that it is hot. It is up with the dark reds but was a pink in earlier blossoms.

From L to R. Top Row: Kokopelli, Purple de Oro, Black Ice, The Colorado Kid. Row two: Indian Love Call, Route 66, Ruby Spider, Early Bird Cardinal. Bottom Row: Mesa Verde, South Seas, Primal Scream, Lady Fingers.

What’s up for tomorrow? Lucky 13.

Daylilies @ Dusk

July 11, 2016July 11, 2016Leave a comment

I made it home to find 11 different daylily cultivators in bloom. Thing is, though, it was dusk. And, it had been a very warm day. In the 90s. So, my little friends were too burned to take good flash photography. So, I went with grainy natural lighting with some photo-fix to help.

New bloom in my Ned Roberts garden is Desert Icicle. I am hoping for a fresh one very soon! Pretty thing. Prarie Blue Eyes is on oldie but goodie in my yard. Great older daylily. And, what I think is Just Plum Happy. I hope it is in bloom tomorrow with Return a Smile so I can confirm identity. Other than that, I believe they are all returns this year. Can’t wait to see what the daylight brings.

Top row: Just Plum Happy, Canyon Colors, Margaret Mitchell, and Return a Smile. Second row: Lady Fingers, Purple De Oro, Desert Icicle, Early Bird Cardinal, Ruby Spider. Bottom row: Soco Gap and Prairie Blue Eyes.

The wild, the tamed, and a daylily

July 10, 2016Leave a comment

Tomorrow, I head home to daylilies and puppies. I am glad I came. A few more hours checked off. New knowledge. Tonight, I share the last flower pictures from the high Rockies ecosystem. Tomorrow, it’s back to the Colorado Plateau.

The wild:

The tamed:

And one lone Stella (?) amongst the city’s landscaping.

The rest are unbloomed scapes. My yard may be behind, but it’s clearly ahead of the highlands. What blooms will I find tomorrow? I don’t even have a Stella in my yard.

Rocky Mountain High

July 9, 2016July 9, 2016Leave a comment

I’m not talking about weeds, just more mountain flowers to share.Enjoy!

I’ve seen it rain,

And, fire in the sky.

Talk to God,

and listen

To the casual reply.

Colorado Columbines

July 8, 2016July 8, 2016Leave a comment

So, I moved to a hotel with poor wifi. Therefore, I’m posting from my phone tonight. I hope this works.

I don’t know what daylilies are in bloom in my yard today, but I still took time to enjoy some flowers. If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.

There were a lot of Colorado wildflowers near the conference center. There was the widest array of columbines I think I’ve ever seen in one place. Every color but blue, the State flower, just about.

The high was low 70s here. Very different USA zone at almost 10k feet above sea level. The lilacs are in bloom.

Anyway, as promised, here are a few photos.

A white columbine:

And, a hot pink one:

Light purple:

How about red?

And, a whole chorus of color.

I think my daylilies have taught me to stop and smell the roses, no matter where I am. And, well, I miss my internet, too. What blooms will tomorrow bring?

Not Southwestern, but Native American

July 7, 2016July 7, 2016Leave a comment

I sit in a hotel so that I can attend a clinical conference the next few days. It’s going to be good, I think. Still, I hate missing daylily blooms.

Today’s featured bloom is Soco Gap. It was sent as a gift plant last fall. I had no clue what the name meant so I Googled it and found out that it does link to Native Americans. Soco Gap was a place in North Carolina where the Shawnee were defeated by the Cherokee. Therefore, it is in my Southwestern (mostly) Ned Roberts garden. It is a pretty bloom amongst the yucca plants. I like the red-orange color.

Soco Gap – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The other new face today is Mildred Mitchell. The name reminds me a bit of Watergate, but it is really named for the hybridizers family member. It is a near blue, which was clear to my eye. It was too bright by the time I got out and it does not look blue to the camera under the sun. It is a pretty flower, just the same.

Mildred Mitchell – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The other bloom that I will mention in the text is Return A Smile. She had blooms in her container on the porch and in the front garden. It is a division of the same plant. I am amazed by the difference that the sun exposure makes to color. It makes identification much more interesting because these guys are not color stable in bright sun.

And, my collage for today. Best day yet – that is nine blooms if you count both Return a Smile blooms. (Flowers moving clockwise from top left – Mesa Verde, Early Bird Cardinal, Primal Scream, Ruby Spider, and Lady Fingers (center).

Mesa Verde, Early Bird Cardinal, Primal Scream, Ruby Spider, and Lady Fingers – Photos by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Can’t wait to see what is up next when I return home! I am considering finding high country flowers as I walk around this area and blogging a bit about those. I am at 9,000+ feet above sea level. And, I have empty nest for my own garden already. 🙂